So I had a beautiful little thing, not too long ago. Five Ropefish, one three years, two a year and a half, and two six months. They shared their 55g breeder tank with a bushy-nose pleco, a senegalus bichir, and nothing else. Gravel, petrified wood, some hides, pothos ivy in baskets, planted driftwood, and other plants decorated it. They were fed a variety of food, prepared, live, fresh, and frozen. Water changes every two weeks with a gravel vac. All was well.
That was about a week ago. One small ropefish remains healthy-looking. The other is doing death roles. The elder three are dead.
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The most recent changes to the tank are as follows:
I put a small exoterra hide in the tank. This was to match the one that has been in there for years. Couple weeks ago.
I took the pothos ivy out of one tank that I'm shutting down and submerged it amongst the other tanks, including this one. Couple weeks ago.
Brought home two small pieces of planted driftwood from the store, temporarily kept in the rope tank, then moved to two others after. Month ago.
Used EM after the first rope died. Two doses over two days, a waterchange just before. One week ago.
Bad power-outage a few months ago, nearly killed them. All recovered, no visible symptoms.
No unusual chemicals, disturbances, foods or other changes. All other tanks and inhabitants are fine.
Symptoms/Timing:
Woke up to find my eldest male dead. The three older ones may have been slightly obese, they were very healthy eaters. Other than glazed eyes and a slightly swollen throat, no other indications of sickness other than death.
Treated with EM after a waterchange.
Eldest female died the next night. Glazed eyes, slightly swollen throat, slight stiffness of the neck. One or two small red streaks amongst scales.
2nd dose of EM.
Second eldest female died two days later, same symptoms but I don't think there were any streaks.
Bichir had glazed eyes up until about this point. No other symptoms, then glazed eyes went away. Appears healthy. Two small rope fish (been with me 6 months) seemed fine.
Two days or so later, small female suddenly doing death roles. No other symptoms. Remaining male, bichir, and pleco all still seem fine.
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I'm a little dead inside myself. I don't know what the heck ripped through my tank and stole away my little babies. I was going to try again with a third small rope and keep a mini group in a 40g breeder after I thought it stopped with the older ones, but now I don't have the heart since the little female seems to be on her way out. If anyone has any insight as to what the hell happened, and how to make the tank safe again without throwing everything out or killing my wood/plants, I'd love some advice. Part of me moving on is going to include giving my weather loaches the bigger tank, but I don't want whatever affected my poor ropes to affect them.
Please advise.
[RIP LongShot, Clamp, Giga, and good luck little Raven.]
That was about a week ago. One small ropefish remains healthy-looking. The other is doing death roles. The elder three are dead.
______________________________________________________________________
The most recent changes to the tank are as follows:
I put a small exoterra hide in the tank. This was to match the one that has been in there for years. Couple weeks ago.
I took the pothos ivy out of one tank that I'm shutting down and submerged it amongst the other tanks, including this one. Couple weeks ago.
Brought home two small pieces of planted driftwood from the store, temporarily kept in the rope tank, then moved to two others after. Month ago.
Used EM after the first rope died. Two doses over two days, a waterchange just before. One week ago.
Bad power-outage a few months ago, nearly killed them. All recovered, no visible symptoms.
No unusual chemicals, disturbances, foods or other changes. All other tanks and inhabitants are fine.
Symptoms/Timing:
Woke up to find my eldest male dead. The three older ones may have been slightly obese, they were very healthy eaters. Other than glazed eyes and a slightly swollen throat, no other indications of sickness other than death.
Treated with EM after a waterchange.
Eldest female died the next night. Glazed eyes, slightly swollen throat, slight stiffness of the neck. One or two small red streaks amongst scales.
2nd dose of EM.
Second eldest female died two days later, same symptoms but I don't think there were any streaks.
Bichir had glazed eyes up until about this point. No other symptoms, then glazed eyes went away. Appears healthy. Two small rope fish (been with me 6 months) seemed fine.
Two days or so later, small female suddenly doing death roles. No other symptoms. Remaining male, bichir, and pleco all still seem fine.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
I'm a little dead inside myself. I don't know what the heck ripped through my tank and stole away my little babies. I was going to try again with a third small rope and keep a mini group in a 40g breeder after I thought it stopped with the older ones, but now I don't have the heart since the little female seems to be on her way out. If anyone has any insight as to what the hell happened, and how to make the tank safe again without throwing everything out or killing my wood/plants, I'd love some advice. Part of me moving on is going to include giving my weather loaches the bigger tank, but I don't want whatever affected my poor ropes to affect them.
Please advise.
[RIP LongShot, Clamp, Giga, and good luck little Raven.]